What I Can Offer (Elementals Variation 02)
by Lucifer Rosemaunt
Summary: Short ficlet variations on a theme: elementals, water. Pirate!AU. Rather, naval officer!Raoul, pirate!Erik, and a chase that will never end. ErikRaoul slash.


Title: What I Can Offer – Water (Elementals Variation 02)  
Author: Lucifer Rosemaunt

Summary: Short ficlet variations on a theme: elementals, water. Pirate!AU. Rather, naval officer!Raoul, pirate!Erik, and a chase that will never end.  
Fandom: Phantom of the Opera  
Pairing(s): Erik/Raoul  
Warning(s): Pirate!AU, light bondage?  
Word Count: 3,164  
Rating: T

o.o.o.o

The dinghy bobbed up and down, buffeted by the choppy waters. The wood creaked and moaned in time with the calls for coordinated strokes. Still, it somehow felt as though Raoul, kneeling at the bottom of the boat yet unprotected from the sea foam spray, was the one motionless as the men he had called comrades-in-arms moved farther and farther away. They were technically not _his_ men nor had it been _his_ ship that had been sunk. No, he had not yet raised high enough in rank to have a ship of his own, but he ultimately felt responsible for the others just the same. His captain looked at him calmly, giving a curt nod as the island and what little salvation it held slipped from his grasp.

It was all wrong. He should be there with them.

Remaining, however, would have certainly damned them all to death. He clenched his fists, bound as they were behind his back.

The slight movement did not go unnoticed. The hand on his back, the only reason he was upright at the moment, fisted his already torn jacket and jerked him backwards with enough force that he almost lost his balance. His ankles protested at the awkward angle as his knees lifted from the bottom of the dinghy before dropping with the next swell. His legs ached but it was the ropes that held his attention as they dug deeper into his thighs and chest. He bit down on the groan of pain, unwilling to give the pirate captain who held him the satisfaction of hearing it.

This pirate was the same one they had been chasing for months now, the same one who had sunk their ship without a hint of remorse before following them to the small, nearby island that had been their only saving grace. A simple threat to kill them all in order to stop their chase of him completely had brought Raoul to his knees, literally.

He had done what any naval officer would have and offered himself in their stead. And now, he was being taken captive to the pirate ship, trusting a wanted man's word that his men would not only remain unharmed but also be rescued. It was not the most ideal of situations, especially with this pirate, the most brutal and unforgiving of men. The masked man was ruthless, unkind, and had a temper that had even other pirates wary to cross paths with him. Raoul had even been witness to the pirate's own crew cow in fear of him.

He had little time to even consider trying to free himself from these ropes in order to escape into the ocean, had he been inclined to do so, because he was quickly thrown over a shoulder as the pirates climbed aboard their ship. It was undignified but he knew better than to struggle. He could just as easily drown if he did not cooperate and more importantly, he was certain his comrades would suffer a worse fate.

Orders were barked out to pull anchor, trim the sails, and head westward. No other direction or location was given. The small hope to hear some indication of where he was being taken disappeared. Instead, he was graced with the hoots and jeers of the pirate crew as he was carried to the Captain's quarters.

The world rushed past in a blur when he was dumped onto a large chair. The seat was plush, upholstered with wooden arms and legs gilt in what he was certain was gold. It was all ostentatious and gaudy. He could not help the curl of his lip at such a display of wealth. His limbs were unbound for only a moment before being secured onto the armrests and legs.

The door slammed shut behind him, dimming the room considerably save for the single window toward the aft of the ship. The tiny portholes provided little illumination. It took a second for his eyes to adjust and before that even happened, he was twisting his wrists to see if there was any give to his bindings. There was, but barely so. It would take far too long to loosen it and he could already feel his wrists being rubbed raw against the coarse fibers and his forearms bruising against the friction.

"That was rather easy" a voice sounded and he stilled immediately. He could have sworn the other man had left the room.

Raoul turned his head but could not see the speaker. He needn't anything more than his voice to know who it was though, could recognize that voice, that cadence, that mocking quality anywhere. After all, this was the pirate for whom he had spent nearly a year doggedly chasing.

"They shall find me," Raoul replied with more confidence than he felt. There were many things contingent on trusting this pirate, whose only response was a scoff. "You swore upon your honour that you would send help."

He was not even given a scoff as a response to that statement. When silence continued, Raoul craned his neck to try to catch the other man's eyes. He started when a hand rested on his neck to turn his head forward. He often forgot how silent the pirate could be when he so desired, almost a ghost.

More importantly in that moment, he often forgot how he reacted to the other man's overwhelming presence, the way his pulse raced against the callused hand caressing his skin similar to the way his mind raced with images of deft fingers, a smug grin, and a porcelain white mask that did nothing to detract from his expressions. When the pirate finally came into view, he was missing his large feathered hat as well as both his scarlet cloak and his frock coat, leaving him in his loose linen shirt, a lacing grommeted chest with 2 layers of chest ruffles and a double button wrist cuff. He looked as cocksure as he had ever been, and Raoul's breath caught in his throat. He immediately hated himself for it.

The pirate did not remove his hand from where it rested on his neck, thumb tracing his jaw. And Raoul knew there was no way of hiding the rabbit quick pace of his heart nor the way his throat moved when he swallowed nervously.

"You trust me to have such honor?" the man asked.

Remembering himself, Raoul glared at him but did not shy away from his touch. He was loathe to think how familiar it felt against his cheek, that there was comfort in the warmth when there should only be hatred and disgust. This man was dangerous and had proven time and again that he would hurt him. There was violence in the very way he held himself.

Yet he was not met with violence at his mutinous look.

The pirate continued, "They shall not starve on that isle." The teasing tone was gone but the exaggerated put upon sigh told Raoul he was still being toyed with.

He pointedly looked away from him, drawing away from that tempting warmth and struggling against becoming lost in memory. Failing, he could not help but envision less of the notorious pirate and more of the stranger he had met at port and had so recklessly grown to adore in so short a time.

It had taken less than a fortnight for Raoul to have fallen to this man's guiles. He had been charming and gracious, kind and vulnerable. Raoul clenched his eyes shut. He clearly remembered surprising the other man with a kiss, had taken the chance despite knowing the repercussions had he misread the interest he thought he had seen. There had been something about Erik that made him reckless.

He frowned at the thought that the physical aspect of their encounter probably had not been a part of the pirate's plan. The masked man's surprise had been genuine. Raoul swallowed the rising self-hatred, knowing that he really only had himself to blame for initiating any form of physicality, but the other man had been so willing to respond that he had ignored any hesitation he might have seen.

"As to whether or not they will be able to find _you_ will not be my fault." The pirate sauntered over to his desk, completely unaware of Raoul's internal turmoil. "Or maybe they will forget about you completely. I fear they assume your survival after our last encounter means you will survive this one as well."

Raoul looked over to him then. His tone was light, but he had seen him kill a man for less. The threat hurt more than it should regardless. Despite his efforts, despite knowing better, he found that he could not stop wanting the man who was Erik. He was not sure which was the mask he wore, the man who he had met and held close or the pirate who consistently left him behind. There were glimpses of the man in the pirate at times – a touch, a look, a smile. "You would gain far less from my death," Raoul offered.

The pirate was not even giving him his full attention, rustling through some parchments on his desk. "You think yourself special?"

Raoul winced before he could control his expression, glad at the other man's inattention. He wished he were special, wished they were more. He had thought they had made a connection, but he knew better now. The pirate had just been using him, and the problem was that Raoul was weak enough to be willing to be used. After their meetings, he pretended that he was simply using the pirate in return. Of course Raoul had so much more to lose; he could trust his colleagues even less than this man when it came to his proclivities.

"Are you not planning another ransom?"

For a brief moment in the beginning of their acquaintance, Raoul had actually thought that they would be able to find a way to be together. He was certain it had been possible, but he no longer fooled himself with thoughts of the strength of love. Instead, he allowed what he considered _temporary madness_ to take over whenever they were spared some time together and pointedly ignored how his heart lingered in the time between.

"I find no joy in taking your money when I have ample enough of my own." Erik gestured around his quarters and there was no doubt of that fact. "However, I am not so gracious as to do this without some recompense. I can offer you many a thing. What can you give me in return?"

Raoul stared at him, fighting the blush he knew was so evident on his cheeks. He knew what was expected of him and Erik left little to question when he began to unbutton his cuffs, rolling his sleeves up as he offered a lopsided smirk.

He would be strong this time though and resist that madness. It would be easier if the pirate did not act just so, nonchalant and restrained, confident to the point of arrogance and yet still attractive despite it. The sweetness was a lie, he knew. It had to be a lie because if it weren't, Erik would not push him away so adamantly afterwards. He used and left him behind, discarded him so readily. Raoul figured the pirate must find some sick pleasure in breaking his heart.

He would not fall for it again this time.

The pirate ambled towards him and Raoul fixed his gaze at the deep mahogany of the desk before him, straining against the ropes despite knowing it did little good. He used the bite of the ropes to distract himself.

It was not enough of a distraction to ignore tracking where the other man walked, especially when those footsteps stopped directly behind him. He only moved, a slight tilt of his head to watch when a flash of gold caught his attention and the pirate settled a gold chain around his neck. The metal felt cold against his flushed skin. Erik traced where it sat on his collarbone before draping himself over the chair, over Raoul's shoulder.

"What if I offered you riches," he dragged his hand down Raoul's left arm, his face startlingly close. Coming to his hand, the pirate slipped a ring upon his finger, "riches beyond the meager existence that you have as an officer? What would you give me then?"

Raoul pointedly looked at neither the ring nor at the way Erik's hand still held his own. "At the expense of others," his voice sounded rough even to his own ears, "knowing these riches would be stolen? I would refuse." The ring felt heavy upon his finger as did the chain and he shuddered at the feel of cold porcelain against his cheek, such a stark contrast to the undeniable heat everywhere else they were touching.

The masked man gave him the slightest reprieve by backing away, not for very long, however. Erik continued his course to stand before him, pausing for only a moment to lick his bottom lip before resting both his hands upon Raoul's shoulders, thumbs absently rubbing the nape of his neck.

"What if I offered the release of your binds over those shackles of your rank?" He squeezed his shoulders before once more stroking down his arms. This time, however, he worked the ropes free from where they held him.

Raoul kept still even when the ropes thudded loudly onto the floor, sitting stiffly as the pirate gracefully knelt – and surely Raoul's heart would beat out of his chest. Head bowed and intent on freeing his legs, Erik did not see his reaction, did not see him swallow with great effort at seeing the profile of this man, the strength in his forearms, the fit of his trousers.

Raoul looked because he could, because Erik's focus on the knots was his opportunity to take a moment to want openly, to regret without hiding. He shook his head to clear those thoughts and belatedly answered. "I would escape, capture you like I should have the moment I first discovered you were a pirate." Still, when Erik stood up, Raoul remained seated though unbound, rubbing his wrists and forearms where the ropes had bruised him from his struggles. Discretely, he glanced down at the ring still on his finger. It was shining gold and sparkling gemstones, gaudy as was everything in this room, and utterly beautiful in its own way. He would never be able to wear it anywhere else.

There was a moment he was certain the pirate's expression fell, but when he looked again, the other man looked pleased rather than disappointed with his answer.

Erik towered over him, leaning forward enough so that Raoul pressed further into the chair to maintain some semblance of distance. "What if I offered you my bed," he placed his hands on the armrests and leaned forward, "over those of my men?"

Raoul could feel his breath against his lips, a ghost of a kiss. So distracted, he did not comprehend what had been said for long moments. He was so warm, so familiar. His scent, the ocean and the incense he insisted on burning, was heady. "I…" All he had to do was tilt his head up and he would be able to brush his lips against skin but at the slightest motion, the pirate pulled back, moving only far enough away to have room enough to paw at Raoul's tattered uniform, tugging and jostling him free of his torn jacket.

"Wait…" Raoul tried to shrug his hands off, but his jacket was pulled roughly from his person, enough to tweak his arm at an odd angle and rip the material even further. At his cry, the pirate stalked away from him stiffly.

Posture tense, Erik held still, back to him when he spoke, "Be careful with your answer this time, my proud lieutenant." Contrasting with his rough dealing with his person, the masked man took care to fold his ruined jacket. Only once the task was complete did he turn to pin him with a glare that openly dared him to act as he moved deliberately forward until he was close enough to touch his chest. Maintaining eye contact, Erik started on what was left of the buttons of his shirt, purposely brushing his knuckles against the gradual exposure of skin.

Raoul's stomach muscles jerked at the final button, as the tails of his shirt were tugged ever so slowly from his trousers. He, himself, could hardly move, could not decide what he would even do.

Erik continued, "You know how some of them much prefer you to those wenches at port." He slipped his hands around Raoul's stomach, warm, so sure, and possessive.

It was the last aspect that compelled Raoul to speak with more cockiness than he felt, "I do not begrudge them their taste." And of all the things he was certain of: the inevitable heartache of their ill-fated interactions, his own weakness despite that knowledge, the fact that he would possibly chase this man across the world regardless, he was also certain of this one fact. He tilted his head to meet Erik's eyes with defiance and maybe challenge, "But you would not share."

Erik pulled his hands from his stomach abruptly. He looked like he was going to argue. Instead, he surged forward once more and pressed their lips together brutally. The force of the kiss pushed the chair onto its hind legs but despite the lurch in his stomach, Raoul knew it was not fear that Erik would let him fall. It was something else entirely. He clung to the man's broad shoulders, lips and legs parting to accept him closer, _needing_ to be so much closer. He knew Erik would not let him out of his grasp for hours and well into the night now that he was finally there again and in this moment, he did not want it to be any other way, thoughts forgotten of ever thinking he could refrain.

"Why do you do this?" he asked breathlessly, because he knew with absolute certainty that whenever they touched that it was where he belonged. "Why do you…" _leave me behind_ , he breathed the words between feverish kisses but was interrupted every time. Erik did not want to hear his question and he understood immediately how that was answer enough. This was to end as it always had in the past and would never be more.

Ignoring the pain in his chest, he resorted to stating instead, "I will bring you in." He tugged the pirate's shirt free, tried to touch hot skin, digging blunt nails wherever he could, a petty side of him wanting to hurt him in some way. "I will capture you."

Erik breathily responded, though it was lost in the moan Raoul could not help but loose, "You already have."

o.o.o.o

End ficlet

A/N: Obviously, not the same posting schedule as I had attempted to do the other variations. Busy-busy (by which I mean, I am a horrible person who cannot time manage at all). But there will be 7 in total for this variation. (Also, how has it been so long since I've attempted to write? I have not written a single word in months. D:)

Fic Review:

Erik takes and takes and takes from Raoul, ensuring that the younger man will chase him because no matter how much he wants to keep him by his side, he is certain that Raoul would not give up his life in the navy to be with him. Raoul would have to give up _everything_. What they are to each other is punishable by death and there is little hiding he can do on land. It is already too late for him. There is no chance for Erik to make a living on land, in a reputable fashion with hopes that he can somehow convince Raoul to have such a secret and illicit affair behind closed doors. So, he kidnaps him, taunts him, singles him out, does everything he can to tie them together so that even if he has to leave him behind, Raoul will make sure that they find each other again. And he absolutely hates having to push Raoul away, having the younger man hate him for using his body then discarding him, but it's the only thing he can do. He hates lying to him, finds that he has trouble doing so when all he wants is just to have him. He thinks himself transparent, the lies and jibes falling short, he can hardly keep his hands to himself, but Raoul either doesn't see the lies for what they are or, and Erik hates to think this is true, Raoul simply doesn't care because he doesn't feel the same way. Erik can be his villain thought; he can 'force' himself on him.

And Erik really _does not share_ because Raoul gets kidnapped once by some other pirates (the pirates not realizing who he was because Erik's staked his claim and everyone knows not to mess with Raoul or else there will be hell to pay. In fact, hell would be a gift compared to what Erik would do to them) but they capture Raoul, kind of torture him, and Erik swoops in to save him, decimating those pirates into oblivion. Like. Decimates. And still Raoul does not understand, and what's great is that Raoul absolutely hates it when another naval officer goes after Erik. A heavy pit of worry sits in his stomach when he hears news and Erik would actually never let himself be caught, but Raoul doesn't know that. He doesn't know it when Erik gets 'captured' by Raoul that one time and they 'somehow' get separated from everyone else.


End file.
